OBT Forum

Interesting...

Actually, while I agree in general, I think she's going to word it more as trials of absorption against the individual Kindraa rather than the Clan as a whole.  De Facto but not De Jure.

This would allow her to assign each Kindraa to be absorbed by a different Clan, thereby allowing her to spread out the burden/profits.

It also helps her maintain the Fractures in Mandrill unity, and avoid them unifying in response to an external threat.  Each Kindraa will focus on the threat to itself over all other considerations, rather than coming together with the other Kindraa to unify what strength they have remaining.

In short, devour them one small bite at a time, instead of having one clan try to eat the whole thing.

The reason the other clans will go for it, is that it allows even the more damaged clans an opportunity to acquire resources quickly, without risking a Pyrrhic victory that leaves them as gutted as the Mandrills are now, and unable to continue with the campaign.

Field Headquarters of the ilKhan; Bayern
Memmingen, Clan Goliath Scorpion Occupation Zone
November 23, 3043

The whispers of conversation came to a close as ilKhan Yvonne Hazen entered the chamber—her face somber and grim, and upon seeing that face the Loremaster of the Fire Mandrills shuddered.  Victoria Tanaga sat alone and none of the Khans and saKhans who surrounded here had offered her any sympathy or empathy; even her Clans closest allies the Blood Spirits had simply warned her to walk carefully in her answers.

The former Falcon stopped directly in front of Victoria and she glared down at her, but Victoria made herself face the old Warrior stoically, refusing to show the Khans any weakness.  Finally, Yvonne nodded and she spread her gaze other the remainder of the ranking Clan Warriors assembled on Memmingen.

“My Khans, you all know of the actions taken by the Fire Mandrills in this past week.  You all know of how their internal bickering has now cost us the single most valuable resource we possess—TIME!  The Mandrills endanger the Invasion by their failure to work together as a Clan, and as ilKhan I shall no longer tolerate it!” she thundered.

“You, girl—you speak for the Clan Fire Mandrill today, quiaff?”

Victoria stood.  “Neg; I am no Khan—I speak for the Warriors of Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga and Kline.”

Muttered whispers raced through the room, and the Mandrill Loremaster could see many Khans shaking their heads.

“Victoria Tanaga, you are a Warrior of your Clan, Bloodnamed and Loremaster!  You have obligations to your Clan, not merely to your ‘Kindraa’; yet, you will not speak for them?”

“My Kindraa and Kindraa Kline have done nothing wrong—we have not violated the martial code of Kerensky, we have worked together to ensure success, we have not failed!”

Yvonne shook her head sadly, and she recognized Nikolai.  “Khan Djerassi?”

“My Khans, to paraphrase an ancient leader of Terra from centuries before our founders first managed to acheive spaceflight . . . a Clan divided against itself cannot stand.  Loremaster, do you even see what the Mandrill disunity has wrought?  A Khan killed in a Trial during combat operations—his challenger dead by his hand.  A saKhan who takes his own life; individual commanders violating orders and withdrawing without permission or instruction—your Clan is on the verge of total and complete collapse into anarchy.  With no one willing or able to assume a position of leadership.”

“Not all of us!  Faraday-Tanaga and Kline remain strong!”

“Loremaster, you are weak and your Clan is weak!”

“My Kindraa is at 100% of the our pre-Invasion strength—as is that of Kline!” Victoria snapped, and then she paled at what she had just blurted out.  But the Scorpion only smiled, somehow, probably through his Watch spies, he had already known.

Nicolai nodded.  “Yet this very report that you—you, Victoria Tanaga—prepared for the ilKhan states within it that Faraday-Tanaga is at 80% and Kline is at 70%.  A deliberate lie, quiaff?”

“A deception against our opponents.”

“Our opponents, Loremaster Tanaga?  Or your Mandrill competitors?” Nikolai shook his head.  “My Khans, we may keep secrets, but here in this Grand Kurultai we do not lie to ourselves and each other; we do not seek to deceive our trothkin; we do not falsify official reports presented to the ilKhan and claim them as the Truth!”

The Khans nodded their agreement and Victoria shivered as she could feel their eyes between her shoulder blades—and she wondered where the knife would come from.

The Scorpion shook his head.  “Were we not engaged in the Return that Nicholas and Aleksandyr Kerensky promised to his children, I would call for the immediate Annihilation of the Mandrills for being unworthy of calling themselves one of our Clans.  Were we not in the midst of the fulfillment of all generations before us back to the Founders, I would call for the Absorption of the Mandrills industry and civilian castes amongst our own.  Were we not already conducting military operations against the Inner Sphere to restore the Star League in all of its Glory, Loremaster I would demand a Trial of Grievance against you and leave you dead!” he shouted as he slammed down one open palm on his desk.

“But we are engaged in Operation Revival,” Nikolai continued in a quieter voice.  “We are here, under military discipline—and we cannot afford to lose your remaining Warriors, as pitiful and honorless as they might have become!”

Yvonne stood and she nodded at Nikolai who sat at her unspoken command.  “I, as ilKhan, have assembled a force which shall replace Clan Fire Mandrill in Corridor Eta—all of Clan Fire Mandrill.  I should not have to do this, but you, Victoria Tanaga, you and your fellow Mandrills have forced my hand.  Loremaster Tanaga, I am removing Clan Fire Mandrill from this Invasion—the remnants of your touman are to proceed immediately to Memmingen and await further instructions.  That is understood, quiaff?”

“We earned the right for a Corridor of our own!”

“You forfeited that right by proving yourselves weak and unable to work in concert towards a common goal and purpose!” Yvonne snapped.  “Acknowledge my order!”

For several moments, Victoria didn’t move, she didn’t say a word, but at last, her shoulders slumped and she whispered, “Aff.”

“AGAIN!”

“Aff!” the furious Loremaster snapped.

Yvonne nodded.  “Before your arrival, I met with the Khans—there we voted thirty-one to none opposed to create a new Clan:  Clan Stone Lion.  To Clan Stone Lion, I hereby consign all of the Fire Mandrill civilian castes and their enclaves.  Does a Khan object to this?”

“YOU CANNOT DO THIS!” erupted Victoria Tanaga.

“Silence, Loremaster—you chose not to be Khan.  Do any Khans object to this?”

Silence hung over the room.

“Then without objection, I so order it.  I have dispatched orders to the Katyusha Keshik, in conjunction with forces from Clans Blood Spirit, Cloud Cobra, Coyote, Diamond Shark, Ghost Bear, Goliath Scorpion, Hell’s Horses, Ice Hellion, Jade Falcon, Nova Cat, Smoke Jaguar, Snow Raven, Star Adder, Steel Viper, and Wolf—every single extant Clan of Kerensky—to remove from Mandrill possession your sibkos and to transport them, regardless of age, to Strana Mechty.  There, they will be trained as Warriors by instructors from all of the Clans—trained as Stone Lions.  Those who refuse to accept the new reality and function without regard for your prior Kindraa structure because of Mandrill indoctrination will be terminated.”

“Any Warrior of Clan Fire Mandrill who does not possess a Blood-name is free to join Clan Stone Lion—provided that their new Khan accepts them and they reject the Kindraas publicly and forever.  Will the Khan of Clan Stone Lion please rise?”

Natasha Kerensky stood, and Yvonne smiled.  “Khan Kerensky has agreed to serve me as the first Khan of Clan Stone Lion—she will ensure that your Warriors are fit for service amongst the Clans.  Any free-birth Warrior of any Clan who wishes to request a transfer to Clan Stone Lion is hereby free to do so; provided that Khan Kerensky accepts them.”

“And you plan to Annihilate our Blood-named then?” asked Victoria Tanaga.  “To destroy us and our Kindraa?  Our heritage?”

The ilKhan shook her head.  “You Mandrills have already destroyed your Clan—I am attempting to preserve the best parts of it.  To unite you.  I shall not permit your petty inconsequential internal squabbling to threaten the Clans of Kerensky any longer.  Any Blood-named Mandrill Warrior who refuses to obey this command; those Warriors will be annihilated—and their legacies Reaved from future generations of Stone Lion Warriors.”

Victoria’s staggered and she nearly fell, but she managed to remain standing despite her shock.

“However,” the ilKhan continued.  “Those Mandrills who possess a Blood-name, and who are willing to prove their devotion to the Way of the Clans will receive the opportunity to do so.  They will be formed up here on Memmingen into a single unit—and these Warriors will spearhead our assault on Tukayyid.  They will be given the opportunity to redeem their legacies and their honor by their actions, and if successful in doing so their Bloodnames and legacies will continue on as part of Clan Stone Lion.”

“This applies only to the Bloodnamed Mandrills present in the Inner Sphere—those who remain in the Homeworlds will surrender themselves and be stricken of their Bloodnames.  Refusal will be met with lethal force—for those Warriors and their legacies.  Those who are willing may become Stone Lions, should Khan Kerensky approve of them—those who cannot forsake the divisiveness of the Mandrill past will be consigned to Solahma units for use in future assaults.  Those who refuse either option will be Annihilated and Reaved.”

Yvonne walked over to Victoria Tanaga and she slowly shook her head.  “You will unite as a Clan, or you will die.  Not as an association of Kindraa, but as a true Clan of Kerensky.  Are you woman enough, and honorable enough, to lead your Mandrills into the Fire to cleanse your Clan of the stain of your past—and emerge as a Stone Lion?  Or should I just kill you now?”

“The choice is yours, Victoria Tanaga.  Make it.”

Interesting, not sure it will work but interesting.

Here is the OB of Clan Stone Lion (in the Inner Sphere) as of December 3043.  All Clusters are technically rated at Veteran, because of the experience of the troops assigned to them and Natasha’s harsh and intense training regime on Memmingen, but they have not yet seen combat as a team.

Clan Stone Lion

Alpha Galaxy (Rock from Fire)
1st Lion Assault Cluster (The Widow’s Pride) (Veteran)
1st Lion Battle Cluster (Hell’s Own)
2nd Lion Battle Cluster (Strength of Stone)
3rd Lion Battle Cluster (The Roaring Lions)
The Lion Dragoons (First Team)
1st Lion Striker Cluster (The Stone Lion Hussars)

Clan Stone Lion Naval Star
Sovetskii Soyuz-class CA (Reaver—flagship)
Lola III-class DD (Anathema; Rancor)

Tough audience, don't know if these Stone Lions will be able to live up to their Khan's desires. I find that a leopard can't change its spots my friend. Nature is almost impossible to overcome as everyone has to be who they are.

Clan Goliath Scorpion Field Headquarters; Bayern
Memmingen, Clan Goliath Scorpion Occupation Zone
December 25, 3043

“Khan Nikolai Djerassi, may I present Marshal Stephen Davion, commander of the 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry?” Jason Scott said after he ushered the prisoner into the office of Khan. 

Nikolai stood and he smiled at the cousin of Hanse Davion warmly, gesturing towards a chair set beside the roaring fireplace.  “I am honored, Marshal Davion; thank you for making a quick transit so that the two of us could have this meeting.”

“I had little enough choice in the matter,” replied Stephen.  “I am, after all, your captive.”

Nikolai sat and he poured two glasses of whiskey, and he shook his head.  “Guest is how I would term it, Marshal Davion . . . after all, I mean to release you today.”

The high-ranking officer jerked at the bald statement as Nikolai nodded his affirmation.  “I am sending you to Melissa Steiner-Davion, Marshal Davion, to convey a message for me—unless you would rather stay as a Goliath Scorpion bondsman, that is?”

Stephen slowly shook his head and he sank down in the empty sofa chair and lifted the tumbler of whiskey, taking a long pull.  “What sort of message are you sending?  Khan Djerassi,” he quickly added seeing Jason’s frown from where the armed Scorpion stood beside the door.

“A message that she will be grateful to receive—one in which I will provide her with the means of ending this War.”

“Ending this war?” Stephen repeated.  “If you plan on having me present her with your terms, you might as well not send me—they will not be received . . . and soon enough we will throw you off of our worlds.”

The Scorpion smiled.  “You might . . . you also might not.  And even if you are able to do so, then the killing will go on and on and on.  More proud Regiments such as your own Armored Cavalry will be will destroyed; more sons and daughters of the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns and Draconis Combine will give their lives in a gallant effort to stem the tide of losses you have suffered at our hands—but neither your victory, nor ours, is certain.”

Nikolai lifted his own tumbler and took a sip, then he sat the glass down once again.  “Do you know why we invaded you, Marshal Davion?”

“You intend to conquer the Inner Sphere, to punish us for what you think our ancestors did to General Kerensky and the soldiers of the SLDF.”

“You are partially correct, but not entirely, Marshal Davion.  Did Wolf inform you of the divide between the Crusaders and the Wardens?”

Stephen’s eyes narrowed and he slowly shook his head.  “No . . . and I begin to suspect there are many things about the Clans which he did not tell us ahead of time.”

The Khan nodded his agreement.  “You cannot fault Supreme Commander Wolf, Marshal Davion—after all, he views the Clans through his own prism of experience.  He is a free-birth, considered even in his very liberal Clan Wolf as a second-rate warrior fit only for deeds not worth a true-born.  He carries his own prejudices and bigotries within him, although he is more than capable of setting them aside in pursuit of victory—as are most of the Clan Warriors.”

“We have two factions in Clan society, Marshal Davion, the Crusaders and the Wardens.  The Crusaders, who are in ascendancy at the moment, believe that Aleksandyr Kerensky promised the Clans that one day we would return to rule the Inner Sphere—to reestablish a Star League that unites all of humanity under its rule.  To achieve this goal, much like Ian Cameron did when he established the First Star League, the Crusaders are willing to impose their views with military force.  Only this time, Marshal Davion, it is the Great Houses who are playing the role of the Periphery States.”

Nikolai lifted his tumbler and took another sip.  “The Wardens opposed this Invasion in philosophy, believing that we should instead return after humanity united and offer to the new Star League our honorable service in defense of the human race—against threats both foreign and domestic; a new Star League Defense Force, if you will whole-cut from the cloth of the ancient SLDF but with our own traditions and honorable leanings.”

“And yet you all invaded,” said Stephen flatly.

“Of course,” agreed Nikolai.  “The debate was won by the Crusaders and the Invasion would take place—given the choice between sitting in the Homeworlds and doing nothing, or taking part, the Wardens chose to participate.  And yet, we remain Wardens.”

He took another sip of whiskey, and Stephen raised his own glass to his lips.  “The key here is the Star League.  If the Inner Sphere were to formally unite and form a Second Star League—on its own, without having it imposed upon them by the Crusaders—that action, combined with a defeat of our forces by the Inner Sphere would cause many nominally Crusader Clans to change to the Warden philosophy.  A Star League that opened its arms to accept the Clans and offered them a place at the table here in the Inner Sphere would end all justification for the Invasion.”

Stephen shook his head.  “So you just want Archon Melissa and Prince Hanse to reform the Star League—and then invite you invaders to join?  And that alone would end the fighting?”  His expression showed that he believed Nikolai was utterly made.

“Our plan is not quite that simple, but at its core, yes.  It must be accompanied by a defeat—not a pyrrhic victory, but an absolute unquestioned defeat of the Clans by the Inner Sphere—to show the Crusaders that we underestimated the ability and courage and honor and unity of the Inner Sphere.”  Nikolai shrugged.  “It may well not work, but if it does we can end this Invasion on honorable terms for all involved.”

“Why would we even consider such?  So far, your Clans have only fought our forces involved in holding actions, to delay and wound you—soon enough you will be stopped and then our counter-offensive will come.”

“From Wolf’s Grand Army?  From the force that Theodore and Takashi Kurita are assembling on Luthien?  From the combined Regiments of the Federated Commonwealth that your cousin has stacked and ready to go once we stick in our heads just a little bit farther?  Please, Marshal Davion, give me some credit.  You will achieve local victories where you can manage a concentration of force—but the only way you are going to be able to transport such a massive number of troops is by gutting your own economies.  Bear in mind, as well, that we have committed less than a third of the Clan’s available strength—and that the ilKhan has formed a new, seventeenth Clan in the midst of the Invasion, the Stone Lions.  You might well know their Khan:  Natasha Kerensky.”

Nikolai took another sip.  “Your counter-offensive will meet with success in places and defeat elsewhere; it will not drive us from the Inner Sphere—in that you will fail.  You might crush three, perhaps even four, Clans, or rather their forces present here at this time.  But then you will run out of steam and with your economy crashing down around you, our reinforcements will arrive—including Warriors from those Clans you consider defeated.  And this War will drag on for year after bloody year, with casualty counts growing ever larger.”

“And how long will it continue before agitation growing in your own nations reaches the boiling point?  Duke Sandoval very nearly caused conflict between Hanse and Takashi very recently—Skye is racked by strikes and protests, many provinces of the Free Worlds League object to Thomas sending more troops, your own Capellan March is furious with Hanse for giving up their worlds to Candace Liao!  And you have pirates on the edges of civilization making matters worse as your garrisons which once kept them at bay are being redeployed to fight us.”

“We cannot defeat you; we simply do not have the numbers to conquer and garrison the entire Inner Sphere.  Neither can you defeat us, not without unlocking your nuclear arsenals, in which case we will release our own in response—and civilization in the Inner Sphere will die.  I seek a third way in this War, a way that we—as the Clans of Kerensky—can acknowledge your valor and that your way of life can be preserved.  And that, in time, both of us might learn from the other and our societies grow stronger, united under the banner of a new Star League.”

“You are insane,” whispered Stephen.

“Am I?  Perhaps so.  But that is a matter for another day—will you carry my message to Melissa?”

“I’ll carry your message, Khan Djerassi, but neither Thomas nor Takashi will accept Hanse Davion as First Lord.”

“Did I say that Hanse Davion would have to be First Lord, Marshal Davion?” Nikolai smiled.  “You have already appointed Jaime Wolf as Supreme Commander of forces from all five of the Great Houses and ComStar—he is a child of the Clans, who now defends the Inner Sphere.  And he stands apart from the feuds of your Great Houses—I would suggest that Melissa look to him, and to the victory he is soon to achieve; a victory which will cause his star to rise even more so in the eyes of your own people.”
   
Stephen Davion sat back in his chair, stunned by the quiet words; he lifted the glass and drained it and shook his head.  “Even if she can convince Takashi and Hanse and Thomas and Candace and the Primus to agree to this, can you assure me that the Clans will stop?”

“No.  I cannot promise anything, but this:  if the Star League is reformed, than Clan Goliath Scorpion will serve it.  Others might as well, the Nova Cats and perhaps a few others, but I will promise Melissa Steiner-Davion that if the Second Star League is formed, and if that plus the defeat which Jaime Wolf will hand to us in the very near future does not convince my trothkin of their fundamental error; then I shall lead my Scorpions into the service of the Star League Reformed—all of my Scorpions.  That is to include those Scorpion Warriors, Scientists, Merchants, Technicians, and Laborers within the Homeworlds who are preparing to move to the Chainelaine Isles and Scorpion holdings in our Invasion Zone.  Tell Melissa that if worse to comes, my Scorpions shall forsake the Clans in order to serve the Star League—in exchange for seven worlds which we can call our own:  Asta, Atria, Dyev, Imbros III, Lambrecht, Moore, and Sabik.  And in exchange, this new Star League can call upon seven Galaxies of Scorpion Warriors and twenty-three WarShips.  A fair trade, would you not say, Marshal Davion, quiaff?”

Stephen sat down his empty glass and he stared at Nikolai.  “They will call you a traitor.”

“And they will be correct, from their point of view.  I do not think it come to that, provided that Jaime Wolf does not allow us to achieve a victory on Tukayyid, Marshal Davion.  But all of this is for naught if Melissa cannot convince the other Lords of the Great Houses to reform the Star League—that is the key, Marshal Davion.  Without that, my Scorpions will not follow my lead—they will shoot me down themselves.  Without a new Star League, the future is bleak for both our peoples.”

Nikolai stood, and Stephen followed.  “There is a JumpShip resting at a close proximity point, as well as a DropShip at the spaceport, Marshal Davion.  The crew of both will follow your instructions—Melissa is scheduled to meet with Hanse and her children on Arcturus in a few weeks.  You can deliver your message there.”

“And my men?”

“Those not claimed as bondsmen are already aboard the ship, Marshal Davion—I can do no more.  Other than to wish you success.”

Nikolai held out his hand, and slowly Stephen Davion nodded.  Then he grasped it and the two men shook.